The Markets July 27, 2009

Starbucks Will Make 2009 Match Contribution

Starbucks announced to its U.S. employees that it will make the company discretionary match to the Future Roast 401(k) Savings Plan for the 2009 plan year.

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Starbucks announced to its U.S. employees that it will make the company discretionary match to the Future Roast 401(k) Savings Plan for the 2009 plan year.

In December, Starbucks informed employees (whom the company calls “partners”) that it would switch to a “fully discretionary match” from a “fixed employer match” for its 401(k) plan, beginning in 2009 (see “Starbucks 401(k) Match Goes Discretionary”). “Our progress over these past few months has given us the opportunity to fund the company discretionary match for the 2009 plan year,” said Howard Schultz, president, chairman and CEO, in a press release.

The company also announced that it will fund merit increases for eligible partners for fiscal 2010, and that it will continue to provide comprehensive and affordable health care benefits to all eligible partners.

The press release said Schultz acknowledged “we remain humbled by the uncertain economic environment and know we have a long journey ahead. While we have more work to do, we are making progress, and I want to take this opportunity to recognize the important role that all of our partners play in creating the Starbucks experience and fundamentally driving our performance.”

Products July 27, 2009

Claymore Changes ETF to Provide Exposure to International Small-Caps

Claymore Securities Inc. announced changes to the Claymore/Great Companies Large-Cap Growth Index ETF (NYSE Arca: XGC), including a reduction of the advisory fee.

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Claymore Securities Inc. announced changes to the Claymore/Great Companies Large-Cap Growth Index ETF (NYSE Arca: XGC), including a reduction of the advisory fee.

According to an announcement, the fund’s name is now the Claymore/BNY Mellon International Small Cap LDRs ETF and it will seek investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before the fund’s fees and expenses, of The Bank of New York Mellon Small Cap Select ADR Index. The changes were approved by the fund’s board of trustees. The fund’s ticker symbol and CUSIP remain unchanged.

The index provides investors with broad exposure to international small-cap companies as defined by The Bank of New York Mellon. It is composed of U.S.-listed American depositary receipts (ADRs), global depositary receipts (GDRs), New York Shares, and Global Registered Shares, based on liquidity of companies worldwide, excluding the United States and Canada. For initial inclusion, constituents must have a market capitalization ranging from $250 million to $2 billion.

The announcement said the fund’s board of trustees also approved a revised Advisory Agreement for the fund that reduces the advisory fee to an annual rate of 0.45% of the fund’s average daily net assets. Previously the fund employed an expense cap of 0.65%.

More information is available at www.claymore.com/ETFs.

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